Horse sock



June 17, 1941. B. MAR-2AM 2,246,100

HORSE SOCK Filed July 5, 1959 31142011 tow BRUNO MA fiZA/V/ PatentedJune 17, 1941 are!) sT rss PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to horse socks for jumping and race horses.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a horse sock whichwill strengthen the fetlock joint and tendons of a horse and willprevent the same from being injured and breaking down.

A-further object of this invention is to provide a device of the abovementioned character which will brace the horses fetlock joint and whichmay be easily fastened in place by means of a sliding separablefastener.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a horse sockincluding an elastic band extending around the fetlock joint of thehorse which is provided with joint and tendon engaging portion formed ofa material conforming thereto and possessing sufficient rigidity tobrace the fetlock joint and prevent injury thereto.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a horse sock ofthe above mentioned character having an additional elastic web extendingfrom the flap closure to the fetlock joint engaging portion, to exert anadded pressure and to cause the rigid fetlock joint and tendon engagingportion to more closely engage the same.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a fetlock jointand tendon brace for horses formed of elastic webbing capable of beingstretched in both directions, thereby allowing free movement of thefetlock joint and not interfering with the actions of the tendons.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentduring the course of the following description of the accompanyingdrawing, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view of a horse illustrating theinvention applied to the right and left legs,

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view of the horse sock showing in detailthe semi-rigid fetlock joint and tendon embracing portion,

Figure 3 is a side elevational view illustrating the separable slidefastener for closing the edge flaps of the horse sock and furthershowing the manner in which the semi-rigid fetlock joint and tendonembracing portion is associated therewith,

Figure 4 is a vertical cross sectional View taken on lines 4-4 of Figure2 looking in the directions of the arrows, illustrating the details ofconstruction of the horse sock,

Figure 5 is a top elevational view illustrating the arrangement of theclosure flap and the belt and. buckle at the top of the horse sock, and

Figure 6 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on lines 66 ofFigure 3 looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the position ofthe fetlock joint and tendon engaging portion and the closure withrespect to the elastic webbing band.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of a detailed description of theaccompanying drawing, and wherein like reference characters will beemployed to designate like parts throughout the same, the referencecharacters I and 9 will be employed to generally designate a horse sockapplied to the fore leg and hind leg of a horse H to strengthen andbrace the fetlock joints thereof. The horse socks l and 9 are identicalin construction and the horse sock 9 may be of a greater length than thesock I in View of the fact that a horses hind legs are longer than thefore legs from the hoof to the knee.

For the purpose of clarity, only one of the horse socks will bedescribed but it is to be understood that the length of the sock may beincreased or decreased to be applicable to all four legs of the horse.

As shown in Figures 2 to 6 inclusive, the horse sock comprises a band ofelastic webbing ll, capable of being stretched longitudinally andlaterally and the upper and lower edges l3 and I5 are adapted to bebound by an edging of elastic material to allow stretching of the sockand its conformation with the horses leg. The upper and lower portionsof the sock gradually diminish in diameter to cause the sock to firmlygrip the leg of the horse.

The free edges I! and is of the elastic webbing II are bound with edgingtape forming the anchoring members of a slide fastener 2| having at oneend a separable connection so that the fastener may be slidingly locked,by an operator 25. The upper end of the elastic webbing is provided witha strap 21 the free end of which is inserted in the buckle 29 secured tothe opposite flap of the elastic webbing by means of a snap fastener 3!.A closure flap 33 formed of leather or the like is stitched to one edgeof the elastic fabric webbing and underlies the sliding separablefastener 2I to prevent clogging thereof by horse hair and the resultantinoperativeness of the sliding fastener.

When the elastic webbing is in place around the fetlock joint and tendonof a horse, the separable sliding fastener extends up the rear of theleg and positioned on the inner side of the horse sock is a fetlockjoint engaging member 35, preferably formed of a semi-rigid materialsuch as leather or a leather composition, stitched to the elasticwebbing l I, as at 31. The fetlock joint engaging portion is providedwith an integral upwardly extending tendon engaging portion 39conforming to the leg of the horse for bracing the horses tendonsthereof. The fetlock joint engaging'portion is concaved to fit thefetlock of the horse and conforms thereto, and a limited amount offlexing is allowed between the fetlock joint engaging portion and thetendon extension 39 by forming a row of stitches 4i slightly above thejoint engaging portion.

Extending from the binding edge IT to the tendon conforming portion ofthe sock is an additional outer elastic webbing 43, having its inner endfastened in place by the stitches 31 in one side of the member 39. 7Another elastic web'- bing 43' extends from the binding edge [9 to themember 39 and is held there in place by the stitching 31 in the member39. These elastic webbings extend for substantially the full length ofthe tendon engaging portion 39 so that the area above the fetlock jointwill be closely embraced and the tendon engaging portion 39 will moresnugly engage the tendon above the fet lock joint.

As will be observed from a study of Figures 4 and 6, there is an innertwo-way stretch elastic band 45' having its free ends secured in thebindings l1 and I9 which extends for substantially the length of thetendon engaging portion 39.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred embodiment of the same and thatvarious changes in the location of the slide fastener and the size ofthe horse sock may be resorted to without departing from the spirit ofthe invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A horse sock for bracing the fetlock joint and tendons of horsescomprising a two-way stretch elastic web substantially rectangular inshape, means for securing the longitudinal marginal portions of the webtogether, a semi-rigid concave joint engaging portion having an integralupwardly extending tendon engaging extension secured to the outer sideof said elastic web intermediate its ends, two-way stretch elasticwebbing on the outer side of the web extending substantially the lengthof the semi-rigid tendon engaging portion, each having their outerlongitudinal marginal portions secured to the longitudinal marginalportions of the web and. their inner longitudinal marginal portionssecured to the sides of the semi-rigid tendon engaging portion,rand aninner two-way stretch elastic webbing' of substantially the length ofthe semi-rigid tendon engaging portion disposed centrally in the sockwith the longitudinal marginal portions thereof secured to thelongitudinal marginal portions of the web.

2..A horse sock for bracing the fetlock joint and tendons of horsescomprising a two-Way stretch elastic web substantially rectangular inshape, a slide fastener for the longitudinal marginal portions of theweb, a closure flap secured to one of the marginal edges of the web onthe inner side thereof and underlying the slide fastener, a, semi-rigidconcave joint engaging portion having an integral upwardly extendingtendon engaging extension secured to the outer side of said elastic webintermediate its ends, twoway stretch elastic webbings on the outer sideof the web extending substantially the length of the semi-rigid tendonengaging portion, each having their outer longitudinal marginal portionssecured to the longitudinal marginal portions of the Web and their innerlongitudinal marginal portions secured to the sides of the semi-rigidtendon engaging portion, and an inner two-Way stretch elastic webbing ofsubstantially thelength of the semi-rigid tendon engaging portiondisposed centrally in the sock with the longitudinal marginal portionsthereof secured to the longitudinal marginal portions of the web.

' BRUNO MARZANI.

